Oil-converting apparatus



July 24, 1923- -J. H. ADAMS OIL CONVERTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1916 INVENTOR WI TNESSES:

July 24, 1923- 1,462,678

T J. H. ADAMS- OIL CONVERTING APPARATUS Fil ed June 15 1916 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,4 D couoavscz.

H. ADAMS OIL CONVERTING APPARATUS July 24, 1923- J.

Filed June 15,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 Sheets-Sheet .5

Filed June 15,

J. H. ADAMS OIL CONVERTING APPARATUS July 24, 1 923 UZNES s.- N

Patented July 24 l@23.

urnrao sraras earner cornice".

JOSEPH lEi. ADAMS, F IFLATBUSH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T0 THETEZZAEE 0LT HOUSTDN, TEXAS, A CQRPGEATION OF TEXAS.

cement-tr,

UIL-GGNVEREING APPARATUS.

application tied Ji'ane 15, 1916. Serial Ito. M3326.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrri H. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residin at Flatbush, in the county of Kings and tate of New York, have invented a new and use- Jful Oil-Converting Apparatus for the Conversion and Transformation of @ils, and of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for converting oils and liquids,

more especially those of the hydro-carbon group into products of lower specific gravity for the purpose of obtaining from high boiling oils lower boiling products such as naphthas, gasolenes, benzines, benzol, toluol and other light oils and oily spirits of low specific gravity and boiling points of both the aliphatic and aromatic series.

While the apparatus which is the subject of this application is adapted to carry out in practical use a novel process of oil conversion invented by me, I donot herein claim that process since it is made the subject of another application, Serial No. 103,- 725v of even. date herewith.

One object of my invention is to pro- .duce comparatively simple and inexpensive means for accomplishing the results above indicated and to that end it embodies means for pro-heating the original oils and volatilizing them while under sell-built up vapor pressures, means for heating said vapors under pressure to cracking or converting temperatures and means for condensing the product or the cracking operation.

in another aspect, it is an object of my invention to provide reliable, effective and eiiicient vapor phase apparatus for commercially converting high boiling hydrocarhon oil into lower boiling products, and particularly to make provision for conserving the heat of the converter so that it shall be utilized substantially entirely for the actual cracking operation. The accomplishment of this end is attained by providing suitable means for initially preheating the oil under super-atmospheric pressure to substantially its corresponding boiling or vaporizing point, the pressure being suilicient to maintain the heated oil in liquid form while and after it is thus raised in temperature. The highly preheated liquid oil, in a state of incipient vaporization, is then discharged or released into a converter which is maintained at a cracking tem eratureand at a superatmospheric sell imposed vapor pressure somewhat less than the preheater pressure, whereupon the liloerated heated oil expands and breaks into vaporous form, the full cracking heat of the converter and ellectively cracked or converted in the vapor phase.

The apparatus is so constructed as to permit continuous operation since oil may he 9 supplied continuously to the pre-heater and in which it is subjected to the hot oil continuously forced and sprayed into the converter and the converted vapors may continuously pass to the condenser.

These and other objects and novel leatures of the inventionwill be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of apparatus in which the same reference characters, whether in letters of the alphabet or numerals, will denote corresponding parts throughout the several elevation and sectional drawings of which:

Fig. 1, is an elevation and partly tional drawing of a simpleapparatus adaptother.

Fig. 5, is an elevation and partly sectional view of the heat exchanger for preheating ingoing oil, the combustion chamher of regenerative furnace and group oi"- vertieal vapor converting chambers enclosed within the body of the high temperature furnace. v i

Fig. 6, is a sectional drawing showing the manner of admitting super-heated steam to the oily vapors undergoing transformation and:

Fig. 7, illustrates another means of troducing super-heated steam to the oily vapors while being subjected to the, powerful influence of cracking heats and high vapor pressures.

in F ig. l, of the drawings I have shown a simple form of apparatus which embodies the main elements of my invention and in Fig. 2, I have shown the same broad fea-' tures with changes and additions: while in Fig. 3, there is shown an apparatus capable of being operated on a commercial scale wherein the same broad features are amplified with additions in the nature of improvements or additional details.

In these three figures I have designated the main elements of the apparatus with letters of the alphabet whereas the specific parts are marked with reference numerals, the same reference characters being used to gndicate corresponding parts in the three res.

eferring particularly to the simple form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the reference character A, represents an oil supply tank from which the oil is supplied to the apparatus for the conversion process.

The oil passes from this tank A, through pipe 4, precision feed valve 6 and pipe 6, to pre-heater B, in the coils or pipes 7- of which the oil is heated, then; through pipe 8, to the tube coils 9 and chamber 10 of converter C, where the hot oil breaks into spray or mist like vapor so that in such gaseous form it may come in contact with cracking heats within the coils 9 and chamber Q10.

.The preheater B, is of any preferred constl'uction, as a feed water heater, a small boiler or other form 'ofheater, whereby the oil may be heated by suitable means in order to raise it in temperature to, or approaching, the boiling or vaporizing point so that when admitted or sprayed into thecracking chamber or tubes it will break into va orous form.

he converter C, embodies an outer casing 35, of heat enduring and insulating material for confining the heat, and any suitable means may be provided for heating this chamber, such asfuel oil or gas burners or other economical means of fuel consum tion.

I prefer making the converter itself 1n tubular form so that there will be a large heating surface presented as compared to the volume of vapor undergoing conversion passing through the converter; and in the form shown in Fig. 1, the converter C comrises a ipe coil 9 and an enlarged chamer 10. .lhe .oil, preheated under pressure to substantially its vaporization point at that pressure in the preheater B, is delivered through valve 26 in a. thin stream into the bottom of the coil 9 through which it rises and is then admitted into the enlarged chamber 10. Both the coil 9 and the chamber 10 are hhated to intense cracking temperatures which are in excess of the tem erature of the preheater. Therefore, as t e oil in a state of incipient vaporization, rises through the' ipe 9 and into the enlarged chamber 10, t e relation of heat to pressure is such that the oil in transit will break into and maintain a vaporous form in which it is cracked. i

The vapors, after being subjected to the high temperatures in the coils 9 and the enlarged chamber 10, pass out through pipe 11, to separating chamber 12, where the lighter converted vapors rise and flow through pipe 13, to condenser D, where, in the coils 14, .the vapors are passed down and condensed to liquid; and, together with the fixed gases enerated during the process, are drawn 0 through pipe 15 and valve 16, into running trap tank with a draw ofi' pipe 17, controlled by valve 18. i

It will be understood that the supply'tank A, can be re-filled from time to time through inlet pipe 1, and that the supply of oil from that tank to the converterC, may be augmented'by compressed air pressure which is applied over the surface of oil in the tank in order to force it into the pre-heater B, and so on into the converter C, the valve 2,

being closed as well as the valve in the vent pipe 3, and the air pressure being registered on ressure gauge 33.

'lhe compressed air may be supplied from any suitable source (not shown) and may conveniently be introduced through thepipe 3 if desired. Suflicient pressure is thus maintained upon the supply of oil to force it through the preheater against the back pressure of the converter and to hold the heated oil in liquid form while being raised to substantially its corresponding boiling point and until it is introduced by releasin or spraying it into the converter in whic it immediately vaporizes and is cracked.

The pre-heater B, is intended only to heat the oil suficiently to cause its easy vaporization when admitted to the converting chamber or coils 9, through pipe 8, and is not intended to perform any cracking operation; the heated oils at the time of admission to the said chamber then being at a temperature suflicient to immediately vaporize and expand them for the vapor conversion process as carried on in this apparatus.

The temperature of the converter C, is raised to such a point as will crack or convert the oily vapors into lower boiling products or convert them into products having essentially different natures. By reason of the preheating of the oil to substantially its vaporization point, the heat of the converter is fully gzpended in effectively and efiiciently cr ing the oil in the vapor phase.

It will be seen that the condenser D, is in open communication with the converter C, t rough pipe 11, and separator 12, and therefore any pressure in the converter will extend to and through the condenser.

The continual feeding of new quantities of hot oil in liquid form to the apparatus,

which is provided ltl ill

' ing the cinching operation wi l menses will build up or roles the vep'or pressure in the converter; end eouently throuhout the condenser, so thet the ve rs unergooil; all times be under super-atmospheric pressures while being subjected to orocki heuts. "'llhie pressure is somewhet less then thet utilised to force the oil through the preheeter end against the heel: presure of the onverter.

This pressure maintained in the converter and through the condenser may he regulisted by controlling the discher of hired gases which ere ulweys generute to o more or less extent in the converter.

The condensation of vonors olso tends to reduce the pressure and thus control or the escape of fixed guess is scient to enohle the operator to mointoin the premure desired.

The fixed gases puss out with the condensed vepors through the pipe 15, into the tmp tenlr E, end their escope through the pipe 19, is controlled by velve so.

When the spperetus is in operotion, pressure in the converting system will he reguleted hy the vulve 20 end registered on gauges 30 end 32, which letter, under nor" moi operative conditions, should both indicete the some uniform pressure, while for safety purposes in this high pressure system, comprising pne-heeter l3, converter Q, condenser l) end the running trep tunh E the release hlow 0d volve 21, is provided and located shout over the'condenser Do The gauges 30 end 32, register vopor pressures while in this form of oppnrotus gauge 31, on pre-heeter B, registers the oil pressure which in all ceses should he helow the premure mointoined over the oil in sup pl tool: it, es registered on gouge 33.

spore which pass out from the exponsion chomher it), through pipe Jr, end into the seperetor column mey e sepeluted into the lighter ones, which the condenser E, and hesvior wholly unconverted vopors who, will to the bottom of the column particles of coke or eerhon.

The bottom of this ohonoher i2, is con nected to overflow hot oil tenh G, h" moons of pipe 22, the flow of oilthroug which is regulated and governed by velve 23, end this column 12, is also provided n detachable plate 24-, so thet solid or semisolid matter and deposit muy he removed from time to time.

The materiel collecting in the teulr (5: may he returned to the supp? tenk for further treatment, the pump serving'to drew oil the oil through the line 25 and return it to the took it through the line 34.

The drawing Fig. 2, presents it partly sectional elevation of on apparatus adepted to carry out my process embodying it suitable oil supply took A, end sir pressure ump l-l, tomuintoin pressure over the suriroce oil oil in the tank in order to toroe it into converter C, through pro-hector E, ogoinst it high hook or vnpor pressure while muinteinin the oil in liquid form; o eonverter C, in tuhuler form enclosed within it high tempereture ifurnece 35, o condenser D, end liquid running trop E, in. free cum municotion with the converter, on enclosed running tonh F, for the distilletes of converted oils connected with the trop E, end tonh G, for partly or wholly unconverted oils which moy he removed from time to time from the lower or heevy bottoms chomher 29, nnd'returned through pipe 2% end pump ll, to supply tenh A, for treetmen -With reference to the drewing Fig. 2, the source of supply or oil tonlr muy he loceted at any distonce from the pre-heoter 18, end by means of compressed sir moin= toined over the surfuee of oil in tool: A, in excess of vapor heel: pressure in the systom, the oil is delivered continuously into the converting tuloe under uniform pressure to reploce thot which is heing withdrown in veporous form end condensed.

@riginoi oil niny he edmitted to tool: A, through pipe 1, reguleted by volve it, end displeeed sir mey 'escope through pipe 25, when the tank is filled nt first, hut subsequently it must he" forced in st pressure. then thot maintained by comp essed sir over the surlece; oi conteined oi i It is host elwoys to pro-heat originol oil before ndmitting it to the voporizing systern so that the heat from the may he conserved for the purpose of conversion end not for presenting it, end to this hoot from the furnace con he eco noinicelly supplied in on exchanger to pun We heating indowing oil,

leis method es curried out the op o shown in .l i 3 where at nine e l 1x B 9 h A outed in the flue g, or stock so, n the ease of the oppsrotus she one Figs. it end 2, con he readily a) iii? use in the exhaust heat stuclrs the oily vopors.

pre-heeter l3, mo assume venient shcpe es o to oil hector under pressure in which oils moy he economicolly end reiidly hosted neorly to their boiling points efore sproying or dischurging them in voporous form into the converter.

The drawing Fig. 2, shows one of the nanny forms of tubular converters which may be employed in my epporotus for ourrying on the oil conversion process referred to, end in this t pe oi opperetus the tube 9, is constructed of msteriol onpohle of withstanding intense teno emtures end high pressures and enclosed with furnace 35-,

our comrnsees employed for the conversion of lid lZ ll composed of fire brick'walls designed to withstand high cracking heats.

At the upper end of the tube 9, the enlarged chamber 10, permits the lighter converted vapors to become more or less separated from the heavier ones and pass out through the vapor pipe 11', to condenser D, while the heavier partiall or wholly unconverted vapors drop him and down through the tube 9, for further treatment, while the very heavy ends as well as any carbon cracked out in mineral form may precipitate or fall into the hea bottoms chamber 29, located below the tu This chamber 29, is connected to overflow oil tank G, by means of pipe 22, regulated by valve 23, and is provided with a detachable plate 24, so that solid matter may be removed at times as required. The

roducts accumulating in the tank G may be withdrawn through the line'25 by the pump H and returned. to the supply tank A through the line 34.

The heated oil is delivered by spraying it in at the upper end of cracking tube 9, through a perforated collar or circular nozzle 27, which, with its own heat and the intense temperature of the converter, drives the oil into a vapor or mist like condition ready for contact with the cracking heats while held under super-atmospheric pressure during the operation of the apparatus.

As the oily vapors ass down through the What), a part or al of them are converted into lower boiling products and while some of them flow out through pipe 11, leading from the upper expansion chamber 10, others flow through ipe 12, leading from the lower or heavy bottoms chamber 29 and through the condenser D. This pipe connection furnishes free and open communication between the converter C and the condenser D and permits an equalization of pressure.

Any free carbon accumulating in the tube 9, or vertical pipe 12, may be carried down into heavy bottoms chamber 29, where it is swe t by the oily vapors in their course throng tube 9 and pipe 12.

As an added feature of importance in this vertical type of tubular converter a rotor 28, provided with a helical strip of metal attached in screw like position on the shaft can be employed to remove the "acgumulation of carbon in the tubular cham- Thc ,shaft, which extends through the cag.

36, and is provided with a stufling box an which; has a bearing at the lower end in the detachable plate 24, of the heavy bot toms chamber 29, can be revolved by power applied to a sprocket wh l 37, located a short distance above the cap 36, and driven by chain gear so that it will revolve and remove the carbon.

Any free carbon held in suspension in' the cracked vapors or.- precipitated therefrom will drop into the heavy bottoms chamber 29, through tube 9 or Ipipe 12, so that vapors led into condenser. may be in part or wholly freed from mineral carbon and any carbon adhering to the inside of the vertical tube may, by means of the revolving rotor 28, be ni ped off and caused to drop into the cham r 29, below the tube.

Referring now to the drawing Fig. 3, the source of supply or oil tank A, may be located at any required distance from the preheater B, and by means of pump 5, the oil is delivered continuously into the tubes 9, of converter C, through the heatin coils 7 and ipe 8, to replace that whic is continua ly withdrawn from the converter in the form of vapors.

Pump 5, is provided to draw oil through pipe 4, and force it through precision valves 6', pipe 6, pro-heater coils 7 and' pipe 8;

into the top of converting tubes 9, of converter C lit is best to pre-heat original oil before admitting it to the converters, as through the spray nozzles, so that the heat from the furnace may be conserved for the purpose of cracking the vapors of oils and not for pre-heatin it to cracking temperature; and to this en the waste heat from the furnace as it. escapes through flue it, into the throat g, of stack 50, can be economically applied in this form of exchanger to the purpose of heatin original inflowmg oil through pipe coils The oil so heated is forced into the tubes 9, of converter C, through pipe 8, which de livers it tothe several spray nozzles 27 at the heads of the tube connections against a back 'or generated vapor pressure maintained in the tubes 9, and throughout the several following parts of the system comprisin the carbon and va. or chamber 29, the 't- 14 of condenser running trap tank E, and the intervening vapor and liquidpipes 12 and 13, 15 and 17, valve 16 and both sight glasses and pressure gauges located on the apparatus.

This drawing Fig. 3, shows one of the many forms of tubular converters which 'ma be employed in my process apparatus, an in this type of apparatus a multi le of heat enduring tubes 9, constructed 0? materials'capable of withstanding high temperatures and high pressures are located verticall in the high tein erat ure' furnace and enclbsed within fire brick walls 35, designed to withstand protracted high temperatures and cracking heats.

These chambers or tubes 9, are connected into a header or heavy bottoms, chamber 29,

@theentire group composedof; two orsmore neeaere headers may'receive the greatest efficiency from the furnace heat which may be generated in a primary chamber and passed into this furnace of converter C, or the heat generated primarily in the furnace enclosure containing the tubes, as a matter of mechanical efiicie'ncy.

This feature of furnace arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 5, and while it is not claimed by me as-new, it is shown to illus trate the manner of placing tubes 9, as closely together as possible in order to present the greatest area to heats and heat currents generated in the fire box 45, or the principal chamber of converter (3, which arrangement facilitates the efliciency of the process as carried on in this apparatus.

At the lower outgoing ends of the series of tubular chambers 9, vapors are led into a carbon and oil vapor trap 29, where any free carbon accumulated during the process is swept by "the current of oily vapors in the tubes.

This trap 29, is provided with detachable plates 24, at its ends for cleaning out purposes and leading from one or both ends of the-chamber a vapor pipe 12, conducts light converted vapors to coils 14:, of condenser D.

Any free carbon which may be held in suspension in vapors issuing from the corn verting tubes 9, may have a chance to precipitate to the bottom of this header or trap 29, and from vapor line 12, while vapors are rising therein so that vapors led into the condenser D, may be in part or wholly freed from mineral carbon.

Any oils or condensed vapors caught in the bottom of trap 29, may be intermittently or continuously withdrawn through pipe 22 and valve 23, into hot oil collecting tank G, from which they may be withdrawn through pipe 25, by pump H, and returned to oil supply tank A, through pipe 34, for re-treatment as before.

The vapor line 12, rising from one end of the chamber 29, conducts vapor into the coils or pipes 14:, of condenser D, which latter may assume any of the forms employed in the oil refining industry.

The coils or pipes 14, of condensing apparatus D, are ordinarily immersed in cold water and the rapidity of condensation as well as the quality of product can be partially controlled by the temperature of the water surrounding these condensing coils or pipes.

Condensate accumulated in the condenser runs without interruption into an enclosed collecting or running trap tank E, freely connected therewith by pipe 15 and valve 16, from which it is withdrawn into running tank F, through pipe 17 and valve 18, after passing sight box 40.

Any accumulation of distillate in the tank F, may be drawn ofi', through pipe at]. and

valve 42, to make room for newly and continuously admitted distillates from trap tank E.

The vapc pressure is indicated and regulated as in the form shown in Fig. 1.

In feeding oil to the system throu h pump 5, the pump cannot be so aocurate y regulated as to constantly deliver the required amount of oil into the converter chambers, therefore a return pipe 43 and enclosed pop or releasevalve it, will permit any excess oil not delivered into the s stem to be returned to the supply tank This pop valve 44, can be set at any tension ten to fifteen pounds or more greater than the predetermined number of pounds pressure maintained in the system and with the pump 5, operating under normal conditions all oil not delivered through the precision valves 6, will be returned unlder pressure to the tank A, through the release valve 44, and such pressure may be constantly known and under observation by means of gauge 33, arranged in the excess oil line 43, so as to be constantly informed as to the conditions under which the pump 5, is working.

Thermometers and pyrometers a, b, c, d, e and f, are placed at several important locations on the apparatus so that a comprehensive idea may be had as to the temperatures of heats, vapors, steam etc.

A feature of primary importance in this invention is simplicity in the operative features of the apparatus as well as the rapid, continuous and safe method of oil and oily vapor transformation to produce large yields of low boiling hydro-carbons and other oily products.

The multiplicity of tubular converters present large surfaces to the furnace heats in proportion to the amount of oil in vapor form contained in the tubes, and thus the yield of light distillates will be rapid and the quality high in desired products.

A considerable number of tubes having a comparatively small diameter of from two to eight inches may be so arranged as to present from four to six times greater surfaces to the intense furnace heat than the parts of tubes extending through and beyond the furnace walls for terminal and return fittings, if such an arrangement is employed.

When the supply pump 5, is in operation oil will be constantly flowing under pressure through the coils 7, of pre-heater B, into the cracking chambers being admitted to said cracking chambers through spray nozzles 27. The spray or vapors take the place of that already converted and condensed.

This newly admitted oily spray or vapor will in turn be super-heated, cracked and sub-divided into finer vapors and changed in the apparatus into lighter of more volatile products by splitting the molecules of or rearranging them and breaking out small portions of carbon.

In this manner the complex mixtures of oils known commercially as kerosene, gas,

fuel, coal tar, creosote, rosin and others may be changed 'by means of my process in this apparatus into mixtures of lighter oils which bear a general resemblance to those which are commercially known as naphtha, asolene, benzine, benzol, toluol, and other ight oils and oily spirits.

It may here be mentioned that during the operation of the process in this apparatus the raw non-converted oils will be relieved of a percentage or small portion of mineral carbon which, due to the intense cracking heats, may assume the form of fine particles of coke and. in this apparatus for oil transformation the chemical character of the vapors may possibly be changed from one or more of the products of the hydro-carbon series into others of an essentially different character and series.

The carbon which is removed in this manner will "be in part deposited in the tubular converters and in part precipitated in the carbon and vapor trap 29, as the certain small portion broken out in the process may be held in suspension in the vapors during a part of their course through the converting tubes 9, and adjacent pipes and con densing tubes 14, of apparatus D.

The continual circulation of oily vapors through the tubes permits the intense heat to act rapidly and convert high percentages of the subjected vapors into desirable products and the small quantity of vapors contained within such tubes, traps, cooling coils and vapor lines assures a certain degree of safety in the operation of this apparatus, for if a break should occur in any part of the converting system under pressure, the fire which might result would be confined principally to a very few barrels or gallons of oil in vapor form undergoing treatment rather than to the more destructive and dangerous fire resulting from a breaking of the still full of liquid oil.

The furnace of converter C, may be operated in any convenient manner with coal, fuel oil, gas, electricity or other economical and easily obtainable heat producing medium, but for uniformity of result, economy and generally satisfactory operation, a fuel oil burning equipment is, at the present time, and f general localities, the most practical met 0d of generating intense temperatures su as are required in the furnace of this converter.

Almost any of the cflicient oil burning systems are adapted to this work but as that part of the apparatus is nota feature of this invention any specific description is avoided beyond the indication of a burner projecting into the opening is of the combustion chamber 45, of Fig. 5, the flues j and h, and

in the location of the stack50, risin from the side or rear of the converter for draught or vent purposes.

a distance away from the converter, usually,

at the end of the vapor line 13, just above the condenser D.

in commercial ractice where it is desirable to convert oi on a lar e scale it will be necessary to em loy a num r of converters in the same p ant and in that case they should be arranged in battery form and they should be so connected that the vapor pressure from each will be transmitted to the others thus operating all under the same pressure.

Any tendency toward a drop in pressure in one converter will be compensated for by the pressure from the others and thus easier and more perfect regulation may be secured.

This arrangement is shown in Fig. 4, where a battery of converters are spaced apart the required distance for mechanical operation and the proper arrangement of connectin pi es and pipe connections, the hot oil being orced through pipe 8, and delivered to the tubular converting chambers 9, in each of the converters.

The converted and transformed vapors pass out through traps 29, in the vapor line 12, leading to the condenser where they are reduced to distillates in the tubes 14.

As each one of the tubular converting units comprising the chambers 9, are freely connected with the vapor line 13, by means of the pipes 12, leading out from the top of traps 29, and this vapor line leads freely to and is in open communication with the condenser in which vapors are condensed under vapor pressures maintained throughout the converting system, it will be seen that two or more converters comprising a battery will be equalized in operative vapor pressure through the vapor line 13, or other vapor lines which may be employed to conmot and compensate the several converters for the purpose of equalizing and maintaining uniform pressures in the vapors undergoing transformation in such battery of'converters.

This unit battery feature and the freely connected converters one with another in its broadest aspect was first adopted by me and employed as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 530,852, filed Dec. 1, 1909, which matured on October 28, 1919, into Patent #1320354, and is claimed in Patent #1,433,519, which is a division of patent and was granted QI QQtQber 244 As on added feature of importunce'in this 7 epperutus edepted for oil vapor treetment 1 entry also use super-heated steum injected while et elevated temperatures into the body of oily vupors through one or more oil the tubular converters us indicnted by pipe it end jet 4?, shown in Fig. 3, end on e lerger scele in Figs. 6 and 7, the steam being genereted' outside the up eretus but mey be super-heeled to envegree in the superheeting coils 48,01? Fig. 3, end Fig 5, by the heat generuted within the turnnce of converter C, to which coils it may be admitted from outside and controlled in its entry into the oily vupors by velve e9.

The pipe 47, employed for such eission of steam may be more clenrly seenin Fig. 6, where one is shown projecting into the top of on oil inlet end return bend connect ing two tubes, the steam flowing throu h pipe 46, and udmitted to the interior of t e converters b pipe 47 and n smell perforated jet 38, at t e bottom of the pipe through which the super-heated end gaseous steam is forced under higher pressure then that maintained in the converting system.

As it mutter of convenience end" mechuni col practicability, I may also introduce the steam into the tubes 9, by projecting the stenm pipe or pipes 47, into the end oi one or more tubes, as shown in Fig.7, carrying it down it part of or ell of the length of such tube and providing the pipe with suituble 0 enings or jets 39, for the proper admission o steum, which seine is controlled by velve l9.

ii-ordinerily super-beet the steam ebove 880 to 1000 l end when udmitted end mixed with oil end oily vepors it possesses udventeges both in hydrogenntinw oils end reducing mineral carbon deposit w ile st the some time the resultant distillutes ere su erior in odor and color, and l therefore llnf tend that this denture may be employed in this epperetus es s mutter of pructicel end mechunicel convenience ut such ties es the operetor may find it edviseble to introduce the some for the urposes described.

I inuy also stop oy rotors 28, in these verticol tubes es shown nt the left side of Fig. 6, end instell them es shown in Fig. 2, for the principal object of removing carbon from the interior of the tubes 9. 4

Having filled the reservoir tank or source of supply A, with original oil to be converted the fires ere sterted in the furnuce of converter 6. Oil is edmitted into the convertin chamber 9, in small spreyed or vuporized quantities continuously, end as it fulIs' through the chambers, becomes super-heated end is withdrawn through pipe 12, into the condenser D, and any heavier un-converted liquid portions which 29, are drawn on from time to. time or continuously and returned by pump H, to the fell into the chamber supply tuulr it, until the coil 7, in the preheeter B, hes been reised in tempereture suhficient to hrin the oil to substnntiolly its boiling point un er the pressure ineinteined in the preheeter end the tubes ere heoted to vnpor crushing temperutures which mey be deteined by the pyrometer instelled in the system, end the vupor presume in the converter end condenser begins to rise.

The te'peretures should linully be sud ciently elevated to prevent condensetion of vopors while contnined in the tubes end us soon es the tuhes t, are full oi vepors end the tempernture increuses' until it reaches the re 'uired clinching heet they one then insinteined et thet tempereture which will render the best conversion results continuously while the vepors nre held under vepor pressures.

In the operntion of this eppuretus some oi the vapors will necessarily be changed to fixed guess and some of the vapors will not be converted but u large proportion will be converted into lower boiling products essentiully diderent in nature from the original materiel, i y

When the products puss from the converting tubes 9, into the trap 29, some of the unconverted oils of high boiling point will condense nnd moy be drown oil through pipe 22 end vulve 23, while the converted vepors end fined gases will rise throuih pipe l2, end puss into the coils M, of t e condenser ll. The converted vnpors ere here condensed end puss of? in liquid form into tunlr l5, through pipe l? end vnlve 18.

The fined geses curried oil" by pipe 19, end the vnlve 20, in that pipe muy be so cdjusted us to allow the escope of so much as will rosintoin the desired pressure in the converter and condenser,

Preferubly the process us carried on in this npperutus is operated es u continuous one, oil being continuously supplied from tnnlr A, through pre-henter ill, to the converter C.

he operation of forcing or spraying the hot oil into the converter where it ironic dietely veporizes end the generated sell-innposed pressure of the vepors due to the cinching operetion tend, oi course, to reise the pressure in the converter but this is compenseted for b the condensetion of the vepors in the condenser and the reguloted escnpe oi lined gases end thus, even in the continuous operetion, the pressure my be insintuined at the number of pounds desired durinw the operetion oi the upperetus. y

it will be understood by those skilled in the nrt that the tempereture necessary in the pie-heater B, converter C, and the pressure of the vupors in the converter through the condenser will vs with the characteristics of the psrticulur oil being treated and therefore it is not possible to stute any definite figures which would be eppliceble to all oils.

ltlii lid all

I did The operator may determine when he gets the proper temperature in the converter by the character of the product coming from the condenser, and then manipulate the apparatus in such a manner as to insuret e greatest yield of desirable product at the most economical operation of the temperatures and proper regulation of the pressures.

In operation the valves 18 and 23, in discharge pipes 17 and 22, having been closed the tubular converters 9, and treel connected condor D with coils or to s it, and tank E, are sealed; and as the cracking heat is increased in the furnace of converter t3, the cracking or the vapors in the tubes creates an autogenous pressure in addition to the pressures produced by pumping into did the converter the hot oil under pressure.

resource together with heats in excess of t liose required merely to hold vapors in suspension or in gaseous form bring about the required trtormation oi the oils undergoing treatment while held in vapor form. As the oil under pressure in the pie-heater B, is brought to the vaporizing point continually by passing through the coils 7, the pp 5, orces them into the converters 9, through the spray nozzles 27, to take the place of the converted and condensed vapors continually passing through and out of the cracking chambers.

Any partially or wholly unconverted vapors leaving the tubes 9, and entering the trap 29, may fall to the bottom of that trap, from which they may be collected and removed in the form of hot oil into the tank G, and returned to the supply tank A, through pump H, for recirculation as before.

Thus it will-be seen that vapors of sprayed hot oil having been driven through the converter and condenser are caught in liquid form in the tank E, while maintained under built up vapor pressures throughout the systom from the pum 5, to the valves 23 in pipe 22, and 18 in pipe .17 and the high temrature in the converter brings about transformation of oils while the same are held in vapor. form under high pressure for the purpose of breaking up and converting the heavier molecules into lighter ones or for reducing high boiling oils to lower boiling products.

Since various minor changes could be made inconstructional parts and method of 0 rating them and as many different oombmations of parts could be made without departing from the fundamental principles and principal features thereof, it is my intention that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the drawings is to be taken as illustrative and not in a.

' denser and for maintaining vapor pressure limited sense.

The apparatus is believed to be broadly new, operating in a new way to secure new results and therefore the terms used in the following claims are not to be read in a limited sense but are to be construed broadl Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 4

of in vaporous form, means for spraying sm into said converter concurrently with the heated oil, and means for heating said converter to a cracking temperature and maintaining a superatmospheric pressure therein,

2. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrbon oil into lower boiling products comprising an oil suppl tank, a preheater for raising the oil to su antially its boiling point, connections from said'tank to said preheater, a furnace, a converter connected to said preheater and comprising a series of converter tubes contained within the furnace and heated to cracking temperatures, a carbon-collecting chamber freely connected to said converter tubes, a condenser connected to said chamber, an enclosed running trap tank disposed beyond said condenser in free 1". t unication therewith, means for forcibly supplying hot oil through said pie-heater to said converter tubes in spray or vaporous form while the vapors therein are under high pressure and means for Withdrawing partly or wholly unconvertfl oil from said carbon collecting chamber and returning it to said oil supply tank for retreatment. 1

3. pparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising an oil supply tank, a preheater for heating the oil, pipe connections between said tank and preheater, a furnace, a converter connected to said preheater and comprising a series of converter tubes disposed within said furnace and heatedto cracking temperaturea'a pressure pump in said connectlons for supplying oil through said preheater to said converter, a spraying device for breaking hot oils into. fine spray or vapors against a back pressure maintained in the converter tubes, a carbon-collecting chamber connected to the discharge ends of said converter tubes, a condenser connected to the vapor space of said carbon-collecting chamber, means for controlling the discharge of liquid and gases from said conin said converter and through said condenser.

4.. Apparatus for converting high boiling llOh lltl

ncaae're hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising an oil supply tank, a preheater. for

eating the oil, pipe connections between said tank and preheater, a furnace, a con verter connected to said preheater compris ing a series of converter tubes enclosed within said furnace and heated to cracking temperatures, a carbon-collectin ,chamber connected to the discharge en s of said con? verter, a condenser connected to the vapor space of said carbon-collecting chamber,

means for controlling the discharge of liquid and gases from said condenser and for maintaining vapor pressure in said converter and through said condenser and means for withdrawing from said carbon-collecting chambe! the partially or wholly unconverted oil and returning it to the supply tank for retreatment.

5. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a supply tank, a preheater for heating the oil to substantially its boiling point, a furnace, a converter connected to said preheater and disposed in said furnace, means for superheatin steam, means for discharging superheated steam into said converter, a condenser in free communication with said converter, means for continuously withdrawing oil from said supply tank and positively forcing it under pressure through said preheater and into said converter, means for breaking up the hot oils into spray or vaporous form for conversion, and means or'maintaining vapor pressure in the converter and through'the condenser. i

6. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising an oil supplytank, a furnace, a

converter connected to said supply tank and comprising a plurality of vertical converter tubes contained within the furnace and heated to cracking temperatures, a carboncollecting chamber c'onnectcd to the lower ends of said converter tubes, means for forcibly supplying oil to the upper ends of said converter tubes, means for maintaining superatmospheric ressure throughout said converter tubes an carbon-collecting chamber,'means for removing from said chamber the vapors evolved in the converter tubes,

and means for withdrawing unconverted liquid oil from said chamber and returning it to the supply tank for retreatment.

. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products tubes, means for forcibly deliverin oil from comprising a su ply tank, a furnace, a plus rality of vertica converter tubes extending therethrough and heated to cracking temperatures, a carbon-collecting chamber con nected to the lower ends of said converter said supply tank to theupper en s of said cracking tubes, a condenser connected to thecarbon-collecting chamber for receiving and condensing the evolved vapors and me for maintaining superospheric vapor pressure throughout the converter tubes, carbon-- collecting chamber and condenser.

8. Apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a supply tank, a furnace, a larality of vertical converter an eaten ing therethrough and heated to crashing temperatures, a carbon-collecting chamber connected to the lower ends of said converter tubes, means for delivering oil from said supply tank to the upper ends of the converter tubes, a condenser connected to the carbon-collecting chamber for receiving and condensing the evolved vapors, means for maintaining superatmospheric vapor pressures throughout the converter tubes, carbon chamber and condenser, means for withdrawing the unconverted liquid oil from said carbon chamber and returning it to the supply tank for retrwtment, and means for permitting removal of carbon from said chamber.

9. Apparatus for converting high'boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a vertically disposed converter, a furnace for heating the converter intermediate its ends to a cracking temperature, a preheater for heating oil under pressure to substantially its boiling point, means for forcing oil through the preheater and delivering it into the upper end of the con verter in sprayed or vapor form, means for delivering superheated steam into the upper endhof the converter in commingled'relation wit the sprayed oil, a condenser in free communication with the converter, means connected to the converter and disposed below the heating zone for collecting carbon gravitating from the converter, and means for maintaining superatmospheric pressure throughout the preheater, converter and condenser.

10. Apparatus for convertinghigh boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a battery of separate coning hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a battery of'convertcrs independently heated to crackin temperatures, means for independently c arging oil through said converters in flowing streams,

to be cracked in. transit, means for indetill Mil)

tures and adapted to convert oil therein un-,

der pressure, means for passing oil through the several converters independently in flowing streams whereby it is cracked in transit, a common line for cracked product, means for delivering the cracked products from the several converters into. said common line in free and open communication with the several converters, and means for maintaining superatmospheric pressure throughout said system.

13. Apparatus for converting high boil ing hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a plurality of furnaces, a battery of converters severally associated therewith and independently heated thereby to cracking temperatures under superatmospheric vapor pressure and through which oil under treatment iscontinuously and independently passed in flowing streams and cracked in transit, and means for freely connecting the vapor spaces of said converters to equalize the vapor pressures therein and remove the evolved vapors therefrom.

14. Apparatus for convertin high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower oiling products comprising an oil supplytank, a battery of converters independently heated to cracking temperatures, means for forcing oil from the supply tank through, the several converters independently in flowing streams, means for returning unconverted liquid oil from the several converters to the supply tank for retreatment, means for maintaining superatmospheric pressure in the several converters and means for separately removing from said converters the vapors evolved therein.

15. Apparatus for converting high boil ing hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a battery of converters independently heated to cracking temperatures, means for delivering oil independently to said converters, means for independently removing the evolved vapors from the several converters, a common'vapor line freely connected to the several converters for receiving said vapors and maintaining equalized superatmospheric pressures throughout said converters, carbon and residue chambers severally connected to the respective converters, means for separately removing unconverted l1qu1d 011 from said chambers, and a common oil line into whichthe unconverted oil from the several cham-,

and to the common liquid oil line and means hers is discharged, and means for separately withdrawing carbon from said chambers.

16. Apparatus for converting high 'bo1l-' ing hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products'comprising a battery of converters in dependently heated to cracking temperatures, means for delivering oil independent ly to said converters, means for independ ently removing the evolved vapors from the several converters, a common vapor line freely connected to said converters for receiving said vapors, and maintaining e alized superatmospheric pressures throng out said converters, means for removing unconverted liquid oil from said converters, a common oil line into which the unconverted oil from the several converters is discharged, a-supply tank, connections from said supply tank to the oil delivering means in said connections for forcing oil from the supply tank through the several converters independently and for returning unconverted liquid oil to the supply tank.

17. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lowerboiling products comprising a plurality of series of vertically disposed converter tubes, a plurality offurnaces for severally heating the respective series of converter tubes, intermediate their ends to cracking temperatures, means for delivering oil continuously to the upper ends of the converted tubes of each series, carbon-collecting chambers connected to the lower ends of the tubes of each 190 series, means for withdrawing liquid oil from the several carbon collecting chambers, a common vapor line, and vapor connections from the several series of converter tubes to said common vapor line for delivering the evolved vapors to said vapor line and for equalizing the pressures developed in the several series of converter tubes.

18. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a furnace,'a plurality of vertically disposed converter tubes located therein and heated to cracking temperatures under super-atmospheric pressure and hav-- ing their respective ends projecting through the upper and lower walls thereof, a supply tank outside said furnace, means for forcibly delivering oil from the supply tank to one endof said vertical converter tubes and passing it therethrough in flowing streams whereby it is cracked in transit, means for withdrawing unconverted liquid oil from the opposite ends of said converter tubes and re turning it to mix with the oil in said supply tank for retreatment and means for removing the vapors evolved in said converter tubes.

comprisin a furnace, a plurality of vertically disposed converter tubes located therein and heated to a cracking temperature under superatmospheric pressure and having their respective ends pro'ectin through the upper and lower walls t ereo means for interconnecting the upper ends of said converter tubes above the heating zone, means for interconnecting the lower ends of the converter tubes below the heating zone, a supply tank outside said furnace, means for forcibly delivering oil from the supply tank to one of said interconnecting means whereby the oil is passed through said vertical converter tubes in flowing streams and cracked in transit, means for removing unconverted liquid oil from the other interconnecting means and returning it to the supply tank to be mixed with the oil therein and retreated, and means for removing the vapors evolved in transit through said converter tubes.

20. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprisin a furnace, a plurality of vertically disposed converter tubes located therein and heated to a cracking temperature under superatmospheric pressure and having their respective ends pro'ectin through the upper and lower walls t ereo a supply tank outside said furnace, means for forcibly deliverin 'oil from, the supply tank to one end of t e vertical converter tubes and assing it therethrough in flowing streams w ereb it is cracke in translt, means connecte to the opposite ends of said converter tubes for returnin unconverted liquid oil to said suppl ta to be mixed with the oil therein an retreated, a chamber connected to the lower ends of said vertical converter tubes below the heating zone for collecting carbon and heavy residue formed in said converter tubes, and means for removing the vapors evolved in the con-' verter tubes.

21. Apparatus for convertin high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boi ing products comprising a furnace, a plurality of vertlcally dis osed converter tubes located therein and heated to a cracking temperature under super-atmospheric pressure and having their respective ends projecting throu h the upper and lower walls thereof, a supp y tank outside said furnace, means for forci ly delivering oil from the supply tank to one end of the vertical converter tubes and passing it therethroughin flowing strea whereby it is cracked in transit, means ceanected to the opposite ends of said converter tubes for returning unconverted liquid oil to said supply tank to be mixed with the oil therein and retreated, a chamber connected to the lower ends of said vertical converter tubes below the heating zone for collecting-carbon and heavy residue formed in said converter tubes, means for withdrawing carbon and heavy residue from said chamber, means for supp ying fresh oil to the system during the operation thereof, and means for removing from the system the vapors evolved in the converter tubes.

22. Apparatus for converting high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower boiling products comprising a furnace, a plurality of vertically disposed converter tubes located therein and heated to a cracking temperature under superatmospheric ressure and having their respective ends pro ecting through the upper and lower walls thereof, a supply tank outsidQsaid furnace, means for interconnecting the upper ends of said converter tubes above the heating zone, a carbon-col- .lecting chamber connected to the lower ends of the converter tubes below the heating zone, means for delivering oil from the supply tank to said upper interconnecting means and passing it downward] through the vertical converter tubes in owing streams to be cracked in transit therethrough and whereby the action of gravity is assisted by the downward flow in. ca 'n carbon downwardly into the carbon col ecting chamber, means for returning unconverted liquid oil from said chamber to said supply tank for retreatment, and means for removing from the system the vapors evolved in said converter tubes.

23. Apparatus for convertin high boiling hydrocarbon oil into lower bofiing products comprising a furnace, a plurality of vertically disposed converter tubes located therein and heated to a cracking temperature under superatmospheric pressure-and having their respective ends rojecting through the upper and lower wa 1s thereof, means for delivering oil to said vertical converter tubes and forcibly passing it under pressure in flowing streams therethrough whereby it is converted in transit, means for conducting ofi the unconverted liquid oil emerging from the converter tubes, a chamber connected to the lower ends of said vertical converter tubes for receiving the carbon and heavy residue formed in said converter tubes, means for removing carbon and heavy residue from said chamber, and means for withdrawing from the system the vapors evolved in said converter tubes.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JGSEPH H. ADAMS. Witnesses:

A... Cesarean, J. S. as Sideline. 

